i am not a bino expert but i wouldnt mind having a set for hunting, i hunt out of stands usually in forest areas some stands are out in big clear cuts and i need something that works out in the open but is also going to be usefull in the trees towards late afternoon and early morning, dont want to spend a ton of money 150 is about max.

i looked at the thread and i'm not sure that i need the same setup, i want some thing smaller but not the tiny ones but something in the 7-8 power range

Sounds like a perfect fit for the Leupold Yosemite 8x30 that is due out shortly. Cost should be around $100. They are waterproof and offer excellent image quality for the price. They are also fairly compact in the big scheme of things and only weigh around 19 ounces.

The best optics for the money would be a Swift porro prism 8.5x44, at $300. Celestron Ultima DX 8x32, at $150 is fantastic, and i suspect that the soon to be released Leupold Yosemite 8x30 at $120 also will. The Leupold Yosemite 6x30 is $99 and beats pretty much all "under $400" roof prism glasses that i looked at. For woods hunting at 200-300 yards, 6x is all you need. The Yosemite will be small and light.

Waterproof/fogproof has much better optical glass and optical coatings than the Nikon Action or Action Extreme ATB series. Phase-correction and Fully Multi-Coated.

These are roof prism, compared to the Leupold Yosemite which are porro prism binoculars. Porro prism and roof prism binoculars hold and handle differently, due to their shape and design. You should try both of these in a store, side-by-side, so you can experience the difference between the two designs.

Hmm, the suggestions seem fairly unanimous. I am getting more and more interested in that Ultima DX I must admit. I looked online today and only one place had them in stock for around $160.

..and I finally found a retailer that has the 8x30 Yosemites in stock. A natural color is on the way to my house so I should have more to post for you gentleman.

As for the Monarchs, I know some folks on here aren't overly enthused about them. Personally, they would probably be my pick for a full sized 8x42 roof prism glass for under $300. Keep in mind though that I have not tried the Swift Ultralites or the Minox BD BLs. Both have been reported as offering a slightly sharper image than the Nikon.

I think the Nikon offers a very attractive overall package though. The optics, to my eyes, are better than average. It is probably the lightest in its class and the handling and overall feel appeal to many.

I have to say though that I agree with anweis in that the 6x30 Yosemites pretty much beat any roof prism glass under $400 optically.

There are several major differences. Porro prism binoculars have that "dogleg" design with the objective lenses placed farther out from the eyepieces. Roof prism binoculars have the eyepiece and the objective lens in line with one another and are generally more compact.

Porro prism binoculars typically provide better image quality at every price point because their design is simpler and easier to manufacturer. A porro prism only reflects light four times whereas a typical roof prism reflects light 6 times. The increased number of reflections decreases brightness and contrast. Roof prism binoculars need to have phase coating to get that lost brightness and contrast back into the image. The added phase coating and the overall design of the roof is more expensive to manufacture though and that cost is passed onto the consumer.

Then there is the issue of waterproofing. Most porro prism binoculars utilize an external focusing mechanism and must utilize some form of rubber O-rings to waterproof them. There are some new internal focus porro prisms on the market but they are few and far between. Almost all roof prism binoculars are internal focus and therefore much easier to waterproof.

so i hunt from morning to dark, if i need them when there is very little light one will be more effective than the other?? when i am on stand in the woods my area to shot is very small and at times i wonder if i even need bino's but when i sit out in the open they could come in handy, so what type of prism do you guys think soots me best?

I do not really believe I would pick one prism or another to specifically apply for a particular application. The difference between the two really boils down to price an portability in my opinion. If you do not have alot of money to spend but want the best optical performance for a specific price point then a porro prism binocular is the way to go...hence all of the original suggestions in this thread. If you are looking for the most compact design (be it an 8x30 comparison, 8x40 comparison, etc..) then a roof prism binocular generally provides a more compact package.

In low light conditions I would stick with a larger objective diameter binocular (aka 40 mm or bigger).

Binoculars are often only utilized after an object or motion is detected. That is not really utilizing them to their full potential. Using them to scan dense brush can be very beneficial in locating game otherwise not seen with the naked eye.

In addition to the above suggested book, there are also several internet sites that offer excellent binocular information. Here is a link to one such informational piece. A little more detailed than most folks need or care to know but excellent reading regardless.

the scanning the brush would be a very useful aspect as we have lots of brushy oak and popular type stuff around our stands, i dont want something that's real bulky cause our stands are just a ladder with a plat form non enclosed so not a lot of room for stuff so they need to be water proof and fog proof the weather in mn is crazy. let me know what you think. you guys are great help, this is a much more relaxed area than the rest are.

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